Trolley for electric railways



. 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. N. 0. BASSETT. I TBOLLEYI'OR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

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Patented Nov. 14, 1893.

(no Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 2.

NfGfBASS ETT. I TROLLEY FOR'BLEUTRIC RAILWAYS. No. 508,669. Patented Nov. 14, 1893.

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TROLLEY FQR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS. 1 No; 508,669. Patented Nov. 14, 1893.

NITED STATES PATENT .F E.

NORMAN C. BASSETT, OF LYN ,MAssn HnsETTs, ASSIGNOR TO THE THOMSON-HOUSTON ELECTRI C MPANY, or CONNECTICUT.

TROLLEY FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 508,669, dated November 14, 1893. Application filed July 18, 1392. Serial No. 440,301. (No man.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NORMAN O. Bnssnrrr, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn,

' ways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to what are known as drop trolleys for electric .railway ears, and

its object is to improve the construction and operation of these devicesi i Drop trolleys are used to .preventinj uryto the overhead conductors and 'staywires when the trolley wheeljumps oi :the wire; They are arranged to automatically relievethetension of the springs by which the trolley wheel is kept pressed up against 'the' conductor. This permits the trolley pole to fall low enough to avoid hitting the conductor or staywvires;

The invention consistsin a catch forlocking the pole in the lowest position to which it may fall when released from the action of .the springs, thus preventing it from rebounding. The invention further consists in a device for nullifying the automatic 'action of the .drop mechanism, sothat the-parts may act" like an ordinary trolley.

The inventionalso consists in an improved device for fastening the trolley pole into the 2 shows the springs thrown out of action and the pole locked with the trolley wheel out of contact with the conductor. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the mechanism trans formed into a plain trolley. Fig. 4 is a section of the ball bearing for the spring support frame, and Fig. 5, is a section of the pole clamp, on line 55, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the droptrolley mechanism.

The pole socket piece A is provided with trunnions a by which it is hinged on'a horizontal axis to the frame B, which consists preferably to two side pieces extending horizontally from a plate 0. The socket piece carries a segment ratchet a concentric with the trunnions a, and at the rear upper end of the ratchet are two laterally projecting studs a Pivoted' on a transverse axis 1) at thefront end of the frame B, are one or more toggle levers D, rigidly united by cross bars at when more than one is used, and connected at their outer ends to the springs E, which in turn are attached-to the studs 01.2 on the socket piece. Theinnerends of the toggle levers are pivoted to twolinks F, the rear ends of which containslotsf, through which pass the studs a .When the parts are brought into the position in which they are shown in Fig. 1, the line along which the springs exert their force lies above the axis 1), so that the front ends of the links are held down against the sides of the frame as shown. The pole is free to vibrate as usual, without disturbing the position of these. parts. But should the trolley wheel jump 01f the wire, the pole is pulled up,

and the studs a strike the front ends of the slots f jarring the links upward, and permitting the springs to trip the toggle levers into the position shown in Fig. 2,.thus relieving the tension of the springs and permitting the poleto fall, soas to prevent it from striking the overhead-wires; In order to lock the pole in this-position, so that it cannot rebound, or sway up and down, a pawl G is pivoted on a transverse axisbetween the sides of the frame adapted to engage with the ratchet a, and prevent upward movement of the pole, though not interfering with the downward movement thereof. The pawl is normally held out of engagement with the ratchet by an arm 01' projecting from the toggle levers D and bearingupon the tail 9 of the pawl. When the springs are released, however, and the toggle levers turn up the arm is lifted off the tail of the pawl, permitting it to fall upon the ratchet. To re-set the springs, the pole is drawn down to ahorizontal position, or as far as it will go, the studs 0, pulling back the links F and straightening out the toggle joint formed by the links and the levers D, until the front bar 01 rises above the pivot b, when the toggle joint becomes locked, as in Fig. 1, and the pole is lifted by the springs against the conductor.

To provide for nullifying the operation of socket piece for the butt of the trolley pole.

and to turn the pole to fit, clampingitbyset' screws. But when the end of the pole becomes battered itis difficult to get it eithertin or out,

and it frequently becomes loose. To overcome these objections, the socket pieceAhas having tension springs attached to a toggle a recess cored in it, and the pole I is held" therein'byaclampingplate A and suitable boltsa Thissavesallfinishingof thesocket or pole, the only machine work necessary-be ing to drill the holes for-the boltsr The clamp enables-the poles to bereadily insertedortre moved; and also accolnniodates poles: of dif' ferentsizes:

Instead of'swiveling-thespring "support-om a standard as heretofore, abalhbearingi is used which i s-preferabl y-constructed ash-fol lows To'the car is fastened-a standlIQ, -hav ingzthree feet k and a -lowcylin'drical flange in which is a groove, preferably external; The stand also has a contact tbar lc for the attachment ofi the connecting wireie The springsupport'hasa cylindrical shell c which fits' easily over the 1 flange-0t the stand a clearance of aboutone sixteentlrrofian inch' being'ailowed between themr- Tlre shell-has anannulan groove, preferably-internal; which isarranged to correspond witlr the groovetirr thezflange; the two formingan annulan hear:

ing for theiballswL, which'are'introdueed through a holeiinthe shell, Aplug Miclolseev thehole, and prevents the balls from' being displaced or accidentally lost. The plug;

however; is not necessary co the-'operationof are well protected from dust, and require littleor no oil. The trolley turns so easily on these hearings that it follows the wire with surprising tenacity, and is far less liable to jump off than the ordinary trolley. The bearing is low, so that the height of the frame isseveral inches-lssthan the ordiharystyle.

whatliclaiinasvnew, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combinationwith a drop trolley having a-pivoted'pole-socket piece, provided with a ratchet, of a pawl adapted to engage with g said -ratchetto lockthe trolleyv'pole in its de- 1 pressed position, substantially as described. 2." The combination, with a pivoted trolley lever, of a paw'lto errgagewvitlr the 'pol-eisocket piece when thmtoggleis tripped and the pjole drops,and=arrrarnromthetoggle lever to normally-iholdithe p'awl outlet-engagementysubstanti ally asdescrrbedh 3; The combination; .with ad ropf'trolley; of a lockzfor nullifyingtheoperationof-thedrop mechanism;substantiallyiawdescribed;

41 The combinatiomn witha drop, trolley com'prisingraitoggh :levewof:a catchrfor 'pre venting the trippingiofrsaid toggle-lever substantially 'as rdescri beds 5." The: combinatiomtwitlrvax dropr'trolley comprisingiaftoggle lover; of aihoold fon enga'gingawitlri onerendiofiisa'id: toggle levereto prevent it from] beiugztripped; substantially asdescri'bedn.

6. Altrolleyiipole socket piece contaihing a recess,.inicombinatiomwithialclam pi ngplate 'and' suitable boltspt'or holding; the: butt'of the :pole, su bstantially asi described 7. Artrolleypolesupportcontainingga semi circularreeess'to (receive th'e butt of the pole, in! com-bination rwith: a clamping; plate I and suitable rbolts, substantially as: described.

In' witness wh'ereof'I=havehereunto set my hand this 15th day ofiJuly; 189-2.

NOR-MAN" O. BASSETT.

Witnesses:

J OHNW. GIBBONEY, ALEO E." MACDONALD: 

